Bottle-capping machine



July 5, 1927. E. M88

BOTTLE CAPPING MACHINE Filed July 14, 1925 Ill/Ill) INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented July 5, 1927.

UNITED STATES EDWARD TABS, OFCHICAGO,v ILLINOIS.

BOTTLE-GAPPI NG MACHINE.

Application filed July 14, 1926.

This invention relates to certain novel i1nprovements in bottle capping machines and more particularly to aholding device for a bottle to be capped.

The present invention has for its principal object the provision of a holding device of this character operatively associated with a bottle capping machine and operable by engagement with a portion of a bottle to be capped for holding the bottle in alignment with the capper of the bottle capping machine and shiftable in a direction to dispose the cap, loosely positioned at the mouth of the bottle, in aligned position with the capper.

A subsidiary object of the invention is the provision of a holding device permitting quick manual disposition of the cap and bottle into alignment from and into capping position.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which will be highly efiicient in use and economical in manufacture.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawing illustrating the preferred form oi my inven-' tion, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a typical side elevational view illustrating a bottle in operative association with a capping machine.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional detail view of the same taken substantially on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fi 4 is a sectional detail view similar to that illustrated in Fig. 3 showing certain.

elements of the holding device disposed in an inoperative position.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially on line 55 of Fig. 2 r

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the supporting plates embodied in the invention.

Fig. 7 is a perspective, vie'wot a base plate embodied in the invention.

In the drawing I have illustrated abottle capping machine withwhichimy. improved bottle holding device is associated. The capping mechanism includes .a basetoot 10 formed as an integral part of. asta'ndardll substantially T-shaped in: cross; section j as Serial No. 122,425.

illustrated in Fig. 3 and defining a substanoperating handle'lG, Fig. 1. The cam head is mounted 'eccentrically with respect to a pintle pin 17. which pivotally connects the cam head to the ears 14, Fig. 2.

The goose shaped end portion 12 defines a cylinder 18 within which is a reciprocatory plunger 19, Fig. 2. The plunger 19 rotatably carries at its upper end portion 20, through the medium of a pintle pin 21, a roller 22, Fig. 2, which is adapted for engagement with the cam edge 23 of the cam head 15, Fig. 1. ably urged into its uppermost position as illustrated in Fig. 2, within the cylinder 18. through the medium of a spring member 24. Fig. 2, having one end portion 25 connected to the pintle 17 as at 26 and an opposite end pprt-ion 27 connected to the pintle 21 as at 2 The lower end portion of the plunger 1 defines a substantially cap shaped capper 28 which is adapted to operate upon a cap 29 in a manner hereinafter set forth.

Confined in the capper 28, Fig. 2, is a cushioning element 30 which is adapted to provide yieldable bearing engagement between the cap 29 and the capper 28. This cushioning element in the present instance is preferably formed of rubber or other compressible material.

The capper 28 is adapted to be disposed in alignment with the central point 31 of a mouth 32 defined by a lateral extension Fig. 4, formed as an integral part of the standard 11 intermediate the end portions thereof. 3

To this lateral extension 33 I shiftably and pivotally associate my improved bottle holder generally indicated at A, Fig. 1. This bottle holder A defines a base plate 34 which, is substantially U-shaped in plan view, Fig. 7, to define a mouth 35 which is adapted under certainconditions to coincidewith the mouth 32 definedby the lateral extension 33. This base plate 34 defines anjextension 36 comprising i an elongate slot 37, Fig.7, for the passageot a pintle screw 38 including a nut 39, carried by the lateral extension 33. Inwardly of the outer end ,porti0n40 pf the extension 36 The plunger 17 is yield-.

and on opposite sides thereof and formed integral with this extension are stop lugs 41 adapted under certain conditions for engagement with adjacent end portions 42, Fig. 3, of segmental supporting plates d3 arcuated to conform to the shape of the arcuated limb portions 44 of the base plate defining the mouth 35.

The inner edge portions 45 of the supporting plates as are normally, when in supporting position disposed inwardly of the edge portion 46 of the base plate 34 for reasons hereinafter understood.

The supporting plates 4:3 are oscillatorily connected intermediate their end portions 42 and 42, through the medium of pintle pins d8 Fig. 4:, to the limb portions 44: of the base plate 3 whereby the supporting plates 43 may be oscillated to dispose the end portions 42 from and into engagement with the stop lugs 41 for reasons hereinafter understood.

As shown in Fig. 1, when the base plate 34 is swung in a direction to dispose the central point 31 of the mouth 82 in alignment with the capper 28 the limb portions 4:41; of the base plate will be'disposed upon adjacent portions of the extension 33 contiguous the mouth. 32 thereby conveniently supporting the bottle holder in operative capping position.

The operation of the invention is as fot lows.

To cap a bottle 29' the usual cap :29 is disposed in a position to close the. n'iouth oi? the bottle. The bottle 29 with the cap 29 in this position is lirmly grasped by one hand and disposed in supporting relation with the supporting plates 43 in the follow: ing manner:

When the supporting plates 43 are in an inoperative position the end portions 42 will be disooscd inwardly of the stop lugs. ll. Fig. a with the base plate 34: swung in an outward direction from the extension, 33. The bottle is now manually n'ia'nipulatcd to dispose the neck portion 30 thereof into contact with adjacent edge portions 31 of the edge portions 44. By lightly striking the neck portion 30 of the bottle 29 against the edge portions 31 the supporting plates l3 will rotate in a direction to dispose the endportions 4-2 into engagement; with the stop lugs ll. Vhen the end portions 42 are disposed in engagement with the stop lugs 41 the end portions 42 of the supporting plates will move inwardly toward each other to dispose the edge portions 45 of the. supporting plates 43 into engagement with the neck portion 30 of the bottle 29 beneath a heading 82. The bottle is firmly held in position to dispose the end portions 1-2 into engagement with the stop lugs ll and is caused to gently act upon the supporting plates 43 and to move in a direction to pivot the base plate 34: in a direction to dispose the mouth 35 thereof over and corn centric with the mouth 32. The supporting plates &3 when disposed in this position will efiectively support the bottle and its cap in capping position to be manipulated upon b the canine machine in the followin ll n a manner.

To attach the cap 29 to the bottle 29. the operating handle 16 is pivoted in a downward direction about the pintle pin 17 to cause the cam ec 23 of the cam head 17 to act upon the roller 22 and urge clownward movement of the plunger 19. As this plunger 19 moves in a downward direction the capper 28 is brought into contact with the cap 29 and operates upon this cap 29 to turn the flange 33 of the cap 29 inwardly beneath a heading 3% included as a part of most approved bottles.

After the cap has been attached to the bottle 29 thebottle 29being firmly grasped in the hand is drawn in an outwarddired tion from the standard 11 to bring the neck portion 30' into contact with the edge portions d5 of the supporting plates 43 to disengage the supporting plates from suppor ing position with respect to the neck 30 of the bottle and for pivoting the base plate 34L- in a direction to dispose the mouth 35 thereof from coinciding position with respect to the mouth 82. After this has been. accomplished the bottle, being free from engagen'ient with. the supporting plates 43 can be readily removed.

From the above description it will. he manifest that the operation of the support ing plates 4.3 into and from supporting position with respect to the bottle is accomplished by engagement of the neck portion of the bottle with the edge portions Y31. and 45.

By the provision of the elongated slot 37 it will be manifest that should the i'ieclt per-- tion of the bottle 29 be disposed from the longitudinal axis of the bottle the base plate 34: can be shifted, by action of the bottle 29, in a direction to dispose the neck portion. of the bottle with the cap 29 thereon. in proper alignment with the capper 28.

lVhile I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable ofvariation and modification without departing from the spirit ofthe invention. I. therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of -such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a capping machine which includes a capping element,

iii)

means for operating said capping element, of means for holding a bottle and a cap thereon in position to be operated upon by said capping element, said means including a base plate pivotally associated with the capping machine, and supporting members pivot-ally supported by the base plate and operable upon engagement with a portion of the bottle for movement into supporting engagement with respect to the bottle.

2. The combination with a capping machine which includes a capping element, means for operating said capping element, of means for supporting a bottle and a cap thereon to be operated by said capping element, said means including a base plate pivotally associated with the capping machine, supporting members pivotally supported by the base plate and operable upon engagement with a portion of the bottle for movement into and from supporting engagement with respect to the bottle, and stop lugs formed as an integral part of the base plate and serving to limit movement of the supporting members when moved into supporting engagement With the bottle.

3. The combination with a capping machine which includes a capping element, means for operating said capping element, of means for supporting a bottle and a cap thereon to be operated upon by the capping element, said means including a base plate pivotally supported by the capping machine and substantially U-shaped defining a mouth for the accommodation of a neck portion of the bottle, segmental supporting plates pivotally connected to the base plate and movable into and "from engagement with a portion of the bottle for supporting the bottle and the cap in position to be voperated upon by the capping element.

4. The combination with a capping machine which includes a capping element,

' means for operating said capping element,

of means for supporting a bottle and a cap thereon to be operated upon by the capping element, said means including a base plate pivotally supported by the capping machine and substantially U-shaped defining a mouth for the accommodation of a neck portion of the bottle, segmental supporting plates pivotally connected to the base plate and movable into and from engagement with a portion of the bottle for supporting the bottle and the cap in position to be operated upon by the capping element, and stop lugs carried by the base plate and serving to limit pivotal movement of the supporting plates from supporting engagement with respect to the bottle.

'5. The combination with a capping machine including a standard, a lateral extension formed as an integral part of the standard, a capping element, and means for operating said capping element, of a bottle holding device for supporting a bottle and a cap in position to be operated upon by the capping element, said device including a base plate, means pivotally and shiftably associating the base plate with the lateral extenv sion, supporting elements pivotally connected to the base plate and operable upon engagement with avportio-n of the bottle for movement into and from supporting engagement with respect to the bottle, and stop lugs carried by the base plate and serving to limit movement of the supporting elements into engagement with the bottle.

6. The combination with a capping machine including a standard, a lateral extension formed as an integral part of the standard, a capping element, and means for operating said capping element, of a bottle holding device for supporting a bottle and a cap in position to be operated upon by the capping element, said device including a base plate, means pivotally and shiftably associating the base plate with the lateral extension, and supporting elements pivotally connected to the base plate and operable upon engagement with a portion of the bottle for movement into and from supporting engagement with respect to the bottle.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

EDWARD J ABS. 

